USA Today: NHL TV Contract Deadline is June 1st

[discostu]

Sports became attractive to advertisers because of a few crucial demographic facts. To begin with, American males between 18 and 49 don't watch as much television as other groups. But they do watch sports. Therefore sports have become a palatable and profitable way to capture their attention.

http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article206.html

If ESPN wants to dick around over $2 million a team, let 'em. There will be plenty of others lining up to take their place at such a bargain price.

What makes sports such an attractive advertising vehicle is partly the demographics, but it goes a little further. It's the passion of the fan watching a hockey game versus, that same person watching a regular television show, like say, Everybody Loves Raymond. Because a sports fan is often very attached to his team, he is more susceptible to advertising messages that are associated with his team.

However, the length of the work stoppage greatly impacts how much attachment people will have to their teams, so it all adds up to lower revenues, once the NHL does resume, but I do agree with the point that actual rating points aren't the be all and end all.

 

[Egil]

The NHL has good Canadian TV contracts, and since CTV/TSN is expected to go after HNIC when the current contract expires, the NHL should do just fine in terms of TV money.

 

[nyr7andcounting]

Who cares?

The only reason the NHL would need this ESPN deal for next season is for exposure...$60M doesn't make a difference. Why not just let the deadline pass in order to get the best deal, and in 2 months go to ESPN and say we will give you the 05-06 season for free and than work out a $$$ amount for the years after that. All they need this season is exposure.

 

[NYIsles1*]

The NHL should make a complete break from Espn as quickly as possible and announce it right after Espn declines to pick up the NHL option.

It's not worth two million per team max to keep a sport on life-support on a network that is not going to promote or showcase hockey regardless of who plays where or wins. Espn has only held hockey back and the Espn brand of coverage is insulting to die-hard hockey fans as was it's programming. (ESPN2NITE)

The league can find another network (Spike/USA) that will make hockey it's number one sports property and showcase the World Cup's or World Junior championships that will bring in advertisers and revenue above the two million per team and improve the sports visibility.

 

[Weary]

Then we will never see hockey on ESPN, it doesn't make sense to spend all that money on an NHL broadcast when all you need to do is put a camera beside a card table.

Seriously, you have no idea what you are talking about. Go to a casino sometime and tell me those people are the types that advertisers are going to spend a lot of money going after, other than the casinos themselves of course.

You think advertisers hate the type of people who go to casinos? Do you seriously believe they look askance at people who are loose with their money and instead prefer the tightwad demographic? Do people who gamble only spend their money on gambling?

Think about it.

 

[GKJ]

Yeah the Rangers would be to obvious a fix.

I don't get why people think this would work in New York. In the New York Market (including Long Island and North Jersey), if you put all the sports teams of the 4 major sports together, the only teams who are least popular than the Rangers are the Islander and the Devils. The Yankees are so far ahead of anyone in New York, that they would easily trumph the Rangers in the media. A series with the Red Sox in May would put the Yankees on the back page, as would the subway series in May or June. Just as much as the Giants or Jets would trumph the Rangers, just as much as a good run from the Knicks would, and since the Nets are moving into their own building in Brooklyn, their exposure will only blow up. I don't want to say that New York is a bad hockey market, but Sidney Crosby and New York is not a match made in heaven.

Why SoCal? Well first of all they don't have the NFL to deal with, there is only 3 other sports, they do have 2 NBA teams but no one cares about the Clippers. Baseball is a big deal in SoCal, but baseball doesn't run the town like it does in New York. The only thing is putting Crosby on one team, probably puts uneeded pressure on the other team to perform, as I don't beleive that Los Angeles is a a market that should have 2 hockey teams, and I would think that the Kings with a stronger following, would take preference over Anaheim, unless both teams were to both become successful at the same time (I don't mean a 1-year run to the finals) and start a good rivalry and we'd know more.

 

[GKJ]

The NHL should make a complete break from Espn as quickly as possible and announce it right after Espn declines to pick up the NHL option.

It's not worth two million per team max to keep a sport on life-support on a network that is not going to promote or showcase hockey regardless of who plays where or wins. Espn has only held hockey back and the Espn brand of coverage is insulting to die-hard hockey fans as was it's programming. (ESPN2NITE)

The league can find another network (Spike/USA) that will make hockey it's number one sports property and showcase the World Cup's or World Junior championships that will bring in advertisers and revenue above the two million per team and improve the sports visibility.

I agree. There isn't enough room on ESPN for everything. When your TV schedule gets cut by more than 30% and ESPN says they're worried the NHL will get overexposed, you know it's time to move on.

 

[Hasbro]

I agree. There isn't enough room on ESPN for everything. When your TV schedule gets cut by more than 30% and ESPN says they're worried the NHL will get overexposed, you know it's time to move on.

Where? ESPN is the only national sports net. Fox is regional. ESPN's role is more about the playoffs that anything.

 

[GKJ]

Where? ESPN is the only national sports net. Fox is regional. ESPN's role is more about the playoffs that anything.

The NBA didn't do too bad not being on ESPN for however long it was. They were on TNT and only TNT I think they might have been on TBS too, along with NBC. The NHL needs to have a station where they are the #1 attraction for that station, perferably one that is owned by NBC.

 

[Benji Frank]

I'll bet money Crosby ends up in LA or Anaheim.

I forgot about LA. A buddy of mine lives out there and he said they wet themselves watching him last year when he was invited to some sort of summer camp the Kings (I think it was the Kings) had going on.

That's certainly another area where, if marketed properly, Crosby could put hockey back on the radar in the US.....

 

[mooseOAK*]

You think advertisers hate the type of people who go to casinos? Do you seriously believe they look askance at people who are loose with their money and instead prefer the tightwad demographic? Do people who gamble only spend their money on gambling?

Think about it.

Gamblers tend to spend their disposable income on gambling. The "tightwad demographic" tends to spend their money on material goods which most of the advertisers are trying to sell.

 

[Hasbro]

The NBA didn't do too bad not being on ESPN for however long it was. They were on TNT and only TNT I think they might have been on TBS too, along with NBC. The NHL needs to have a station where they are the #1 attraction for that station, perferably one that is owned by NBC.

Hey if it's gentrified with the NBA having ESPN and the NHL having ESPN2 I'm fine with that.

 

[Weary]

Gamblers tend to spend their disposable income on gambling. The "tightwad demographic" tends to spend their money on material goods which most of the advertisers are trying to sell.

In a government survey, 63% of Americans said they had gambled in the past year. Do you expect me to believe that 63% of discretionary income in the United States went to gambling?

 

[blitzkriegs]

I forgot about LA. A buddy of mine lives out there and he said they wet themselves watching him last year when he was invited to some sort of summer camp the Kings (I think it was the Kings) had going on.

That's certainly another area where, if marketed properly, Crosby could put hockey back on the radar in the US.....

The people in LA wet themselves over Crosby? Really? I must have missed that...maybe about 300 fans did that showed up for the rookie camp, but that's it.

LA does draw pretty well in LA. SOld out 26 games last year. However, the Kings are mostly overshadowed in a Lakers city. Everything is Lakers w/ MAJOR bandwagoning too.

Now, the Lakers are not the same draw w/o Shaq/Kobe/Phil show. Kobe is being exposed that he can't carry a team and the Lakers fans were spoiled by having to excellent players lead them to rings. Kings do have a golden opportunity to strike deeper into the market because the Lakers are not going to get any better.

However, Gretzky worked in LA BECAUSE HE WAS GRETZKY when he was traded to LA. Crosby is a NOBODY. People are not going to come out in droves to see him. For that matter, in 90% of the US markets, he's NOT going to have an impact on the game because he IS not a proven commodity. CAN fans are more willing to support hope than US fans.

Too many people think this kid is going to strike gold for the NHL. Think again. How long did it take for Lemieux to have an impact in his playing city? Yzerman in DET?

Way too much stock in Crosby around here.

 

[nikolai19]

If Crosby ends up in LA, I would be thrilled. Plus he's a St. Mary's guy who I'm sure Andy Murray is familiar. Not to mention he was at prospects camp in LA last year.

 

[blitzkriegs]

In a government survey, 63% of Americans said they had gambled in the past year. Do you expect me to believe that 63% of discretionary income in the United States went to gambling?

Most gamblers are NOT in the demographic of the NHL. Hockey has the highest income earning demographic than any other sport. Most gamblers are lower/middle income spending money on HOPE, not on tangiable items.

Poker on tv appeals to the casual viewer. No sport does, not even the NHL. Remember, it's poker. Everyone knows the rules.

 

[mooseOAK*]

In a government survey, 63% of Americans said they had gambled in the past year. Do you expect me to believe that 63% of discretionary income in the United States went to gambling?

They likely included everyone who bought a lottery ticket or participated in an office pool which is away from the point.

I'm talking about the guy who plans his TV viewing habits around the latest texas hold'em tourney. That's the guy who is less desireable to an advertiser than a hockey fan who is loyal to his sport and has money to spend.

 

[blitzkriegs]

Plus he's a St. Mary's guy who I'm sure Andy Murray is familiar. Not to mention he was at prospects camp in LA last year.

None of that matters.

Crosny was invited to LA camp because of two things. One, most teams did not have a rookie camp last year because of costs with the impending lockout. Two, his agent is on good terms with several person affiliated with the Kings. Also, the Kings camp is one of the best around. They treat the players to tons of off-ice fun/activities.

 

[blitzkriegs]

They likely included everyone who bought a lottery ticket or participated in an office pool which is away from the point.

I'm talking about the guy who plans his TV viewing habits around the latest texas hold'em tourney. That's the guy who is less desireable to an advertiser than a hockey fan who is loyal to his sport and has money to spend.

He doesn't understand or choses to get bogged down in the numbers.

 

[mooseOAK*]

The people in LA wet themselves over Crosby? Really? I must have missed that...maybe about 300 fans did that showed up for the rookie camp, but that's it.

LA does draw pretty well in LA. SOld out 26 games last year. However, the Kings are mostly overshadowed in a Lakers city. Everything is Lakers w/ MAJOR bandwagoning too.

Now, the Lakers are not the same draw w/o Shaq/Kobe/Phil show. Kobe is being exposed that he can't carry a team and the Lakers fans were spoiled by having to excellent players lead them to rings. Kings do have a golden opportunity to strike deeper into the market because the Lakers are not going to get any better.

However, Gretzky worked in LA BECAUSE HE WAS GRETZKY when he was traded to LA. Crosby is a NOBODY. People are not going to come out in droves to see him. For that matter, in 90% of the US markets, he's NOT going to have an impact on the game because he IS not a proven commodity. CAN fans are more willing to support hope than US fans.

Too many people think this kid is going to strike gold for the NHL. Think again. How long did it take for Lemieux to have an impact in his playing city? Yzerman in DET?

Way too much stock in Crosby around here.

In the world of people that visit this site, Crosby is huge.

However, I would be willing to bet that a large majority of US hockey fans either don't know who he is or have heard his name mentioned but don't know much more than that yet.

 

[MojoJojo]

In a government survey, 63% of Americans said they had gambled in the past year. Do you expect me to believe that 63% of discretionary income in the United States went to gambling?

VERY distorted logic. You may question whether people who watch celebrity poker are all gamblers, but the above is pretty much nonsensical. Obviously the 63% of Americans who have gambled are not hard core or even habitual gamblers, and obviously even with all but a few hard core gambler, not ALL of their discretionary income goes towards gambling.

Its not really that difficult to see that people who gamble are not a desirable demographic for advertisers. There have been numerous studies about the effect on casinos on urban economies for example, and pretty much across the board the results have shown that the introduction of a casino depresses the retail economy around it. The more people throw away on slot machines, the less they have for movie theaters, sports, nice cars, etc.

 

[norrisnick]

I agree with the sentiments that the NHL should break from ESPN. Focus on NBC to get regular broadcast exposure and maybe a secondary cable network to be #1. Networks that might even advertise hockey when a hockey game isn't being played (which is pretty much the only time I ever saw promos for games on ESPN).

 

[Hasbro]

If ESPN is lukewark about hockey I doubt a nonsports cable network is going to drop what it's doing to promote the game. However, getting another net as asuplement might not be a bad idea. The thought of Spike TV doesn't exiciteme

 

[FLYLine27*]

People here are saying..who cares..2 million less a team blah...So then WHERE is the NHL going to broadcast there games? On TNN? Where they average .8 million viewers...and 75% of them im sure arent even sport fans? If the NHL does not come up with a way to stall ESPN or have a deal by June 1st then hockey in America will be dead.

 

[Weary]

They likely included everyone who bought a lottery ticket or participated in an office pool which is away from the point.

I'm talking about the guy who plans his TV viewing habits around the latest texas hold'em tourney. That's the guy who is less desireable to an advertiser than a hockey fan who is loyal to his sport and has money to spend.

TV networks, licensees win big with poker from washingtontimes.com:

However, it is clear that advertising on poker tournament shows is hot. New York-based media buying firm Initiative Media's spokeswoman Anaka Kobzev said that while normally the company would love to comment about what "has really become a mini-phenomenon in advertising," it couldn't because the company is currently in negotiations with one of the poker TV shows.​

It seems that chasing "less desirable" viewers has turned into a "mini-phenomenon."